Research

With 18,670 people involved in research (researchers, engineers, technicians), Midi-Pyrenees is the leading French region, along with the Paris aera, for investement in R&D (3.4% of GDP), placing it in Europe's top 20.

As R&D is essential to the future of the aerospace sector, aeronautics and space construction absorb 45% of regional R&D expenditures and 25% of private regional investment (2,000 researchers in public sector, 1,200 private).

• Research major centers:
  
  

  	ONERA  National Office for Aerospace Studies and Research 420 persons
  	CNES-CST   French Space Agency - Toulouse Space Center Prime contractor for major institutional space programs and preparation for the future 1,800 persons
  	LAAS   Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems : a research unit of the National Scientific Research Center (CNRS) 500 members

CEAT: Aeronautics test center of Toulouse (DGA evaluation and test center)  
CERFACS:European Center for Research and Advanced Training in Scientific Calculation 
CNRM: National Meteorology Research Center 
CIRIMAT:Inter-University Center for Materials Research and Engineering  
CERMAS:European Research Center on Aeronautics and Space Management 
STNA:Air Navigation Technical Service (DGAC) 
CENA:Air Navigation Research Center (DGAC)
LEGOS: Laboratory for Space Geophysics and Oceanography
CESBIO: Center for the Study of the Biosphere from Space 
MEDES: Institute for Space Medecine and Physiology

• The CNRT - National Center for Aerospace Technological Research:
  
  The purpose of CNRT is to provide a dynamic link between the public and industrial research communities, based on scientific and technical topics resulting from needs expressed by industrialists themselves. The objective of this center is to establish a concentration of skills and expertise, recognized at the national and European level in the field of aerospace.

• But also, the laboratories of the Grandes Ecoles engineering schools, the Fluid Mechanics Institute of Toulouse, the Midi-Pyrenees Materials Institute and  INSERM in the context of space medicine research programs.

• Specialized joint laboratories: 
  RRRT Espace et Applications: Réseau Régional de Recherche Technologique de Midi-Pyrénées 
  RIS:Dependable Systems Engineering Network 
  TéSA:Telecommunications in Space and Aeronautics